1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting bracket for a container and, more particularly, to a mounting bracket having a hidden lock for mounting a sharps collection and disposal system that may be used, for example, in a patient's hospital room.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Various types of containers for hospital use have been developed for receiving medical waste in a surgical operating room, pre-op or post-op room, or a patient's room. These containers are particularly designed to protect the user of such containers, such as doctors, nurses, or other hospital personnel, from the hospital waste products that may be disposed therein. Such hospital waste products might include surgical sharps, such as needles, syringes, scalpel blades, or the like, or might include gauzes, bandages, or sponges. It is important to prevent the user of a sharps container from being accidentally cut or punctured by its contents. An example of one such container which prevents contamination is shown in a co-pending patent application entitled "Tortuous Path In-Patient Room Medical Waste Disposal Container," filed on Oct. 4, 1990, as Ser. No. 07/595,748, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
Examples of other disposable containers for use in surgical room environments, including: Pat. No. 4,494,652, entitled "Container for Sharps;" Pat. No. 4,552,280, entitled "Container for Waste Products;" Pat. No. 4,453,648, entitled "Disposal Bin;" and Pat. No. 5,580,688, entitled "Container Having Plural Closures."
In addition to protecting the user of a sharps container from its contents and to being easily sealed and disposed of, a sharps collection and disposal system should be readily available within a patient's room, an operating room, or a pre-op or post-op room. This readily available feature can be accomplished by providing a mounting bracket for mounting the sharps collection system at a convenient location near an operating area, or a bed location in a pre-op, post-op, or patient's room.
Thus, one object of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket into which a sharps collection system may be easily inserted and permanently attached.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting bracket from which the sharps collection system may be easily detached and removed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket which locks the sharps collection system against spillage or tampering.
A still further object is to provide a mounting bracket which is easily and economically fabricated, hidden from the view of its user or patient, and which hides its locking arrangement so that a user, patient or visitor to the hospital site where the mounting bracket is used could not easily tamper with it.